Auto Purchase Orders vs Inventory Planner by Sagefor Shopify (2026)
Auto Purchase Orders and Inventory Planner by Sage are both Shopify apps designed to streamline inventory management and operations, but they cater to slightly different merchant needs. Auto Purchase Orders, with a perfect 5/5 rating (though based on fewer reviews), focuses heavily on purchase order (PO) automation, particularly for dropshipping and multi-vendor scenarios. Its strength lies in creating, managing, and tracking POs, automating replenishment, and facilitating vendor communication. Inventory Planner by Sage, on the other hand, boasts a larger user base (145 reviews) and a slightly lower rating of 4.4/5, indicating a broader feature set beyond pure PO management, likely emphasizing inventory optimization and forecasting. The key difference lies in the core functionality. Auto Purchase Orders excels in automating the PO lifecycle from Shopify order to vendor communication to inventory updates, making it ideal for merchants with complex sourcing arrangements, dropshipping needs, or multi-vendor relationships. Inventory Planner by Sage, being a Sage product, likely integrates more deeply with accounting practices and focuses on predicting demand to optimize inventory levels. While both apps share categories like 'Inventory', 'Operations', and 'Inventory Optimization', Auto Purchase Orders’s direct emphasis on PO creation, dropshipping automation, and supplier communication stands out. Choosing between the two depends heavily on whether your priority is optimizing inventory levels across the business, or automating the purchase order and fulfillment process, especially in a dropshipping environment.
At a Glance
Auto Purchase Orders
28 reviews
Inventory Planner by Sage
145 reviews
Detailed Overview
Auto Purchase Orders
Create, manage, email & track all purchase orders in one place. Receive inventory. Replenishment
Key Features
- Create dropship POs from Shopify order. Attach packing slip. Transfer inventory
- Split Shopify order across multiple suppliers or vendors. Receive inventory.
- Forward POs to suppliers via email. Reliable email delivery. Import POs from CSV
- Merge multiple Shopify orders into a single PO by supplier. Automate fulfillment
- Automation workflows. Multi-currency. PO template. Stocky alternative.
Feature Comparison
| Rating | 5/5 | 4.4/5 |
Rating Auto Purchase Orders5/5 Inventory Planner by Sage4.4/5 | ||
| Reviews | 28 | 145 |
Reviews Auto Purchase Orders28 Inventory Planner by Sage145 | ||
| Focus | Purchase Order Automation & Dropshipping | Inventory Optimization & Forecasting |
Focus Auto Purchase OrdersPurchase Order Automation & Dropshipping Inventory Planner by SageInventory Optimization & Forecasting | ||
| Target Merchant | Dropshippers, Multi-vendor businesses | Businesses seeking comprehensive inventory planning |
Target Merchant Auto Purchase OrdersDropshippers, Multi-vendor businesses Inventory Planner by SageBusinesses seeking comprehensive inventory planning | ||
| Key Feature | Auto-generate Dropship POs, Merge Orders | Inventory Forecasting, Demand Planning |
Key Feature Auto Purchase OrdersAuto-generate Dropship POs, Merge Orders Inventory Planner by SageInventory Forecasting, Demand Planning | ||
| Vendor Management | Centralized with Product Mapping | Likely included as part of overall inventory management |
Vendor Management Auto Purchase OrdersCentralized with Product Mapping Inventory Planner by SageLikely included as part of overall inventory management | ||
| Ease of Use (Inferred) | Potentially simpler due to narrower focus | Potentially more complex due to wider feature set |
Ease of Use (Inferred) Auto Purchase OrdersPotentially simpler due to narrower focus Inventory Planner by SagePotentially more complex due to wider feature set | ||
| Value Proposition | Streamlined PO process, automated dropshipping | Optimized inventory levels, reduced carrying costs |
Value Proposition Auto Purchase OrdersStreamlined PO process, automated dropshipping Inventory Planner by SageOptimized inventory levels, reduced carrying costs | ||
Our Verdict
If your business heavily relies on dropshipping, manages multiple vendors, or requires significant automation in the purchase order process, then Auto Purchase Orders is likely the better choice. Its focus on automating the PO lifecycle, dropship integration, and vendor communication will provide significant time savings and efficiency gains. However, if your primary goal is to optimize overall inventory levels, forecast demand, and integrate with a broader accounting ecosystem (likely Sage), Inventory Planner by Sage is a more comprehensive solution. It's important to consider the size and complexity of your business, as well as your primary pain points when making your decision. For a small dropshipping business, Auto Purchase Orders is almost certainly preferable.
Common Questions
Which app is better for dropshipping?
Auto Purchase Orders is specifically designed with dropshipping in mind. Its features such as automated dropship PO creation and attaching packing slips make it a superior choice for dropshipping businesses.
Which app offers better integration with accounting software?
Auto Purchase Orders explicitly mentions automatic syncing of POs as bills to Xero and QuickBooks. Inventory Planner by Sage, being a Sage product, likely integrates very well with Sage accounting software, but the extent of its integration with other accounting platforms is not specified.
Which app is easier to set up and use?
Based on the feature sets, Auto Purchase Orders, with its narrower focus on purchase orders, is likely easier to set up and use compared to the more comprehensive Inventory Planner by Sage. However, this is an inference and would need to be confirmed by user reviews or app trials.
Which app is better for managing a large number of SKUs?
Inventory Planner by Sage, with its focus on inventory optimization and forecasting, is likely better equipped to handle a large number of SKUs. The forecasting features allow for better prediction of demand and management of inventory levels across a wide product range.
Does Auto Purchase Orders integrate with ERP systems?
Auto Purchase Orders has REST API and webhooks for warehouse and ERP connections, allowing for integration with other systems. Inventory Planner by Sage doesn't explicitly mention direct ERP integrations in the provided details, although it's possible it has integrations through other means.
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